Page 141 of Perfect Storm
Irrelevant. Washed up. Has-been.Aidan had thought them all. Riley’s comment would have derailed him into a panic attack before. Aidan still fought the urge to ignore Wes because he represented a future that had always terrified Aidan. What was he going to do when he was done with football? Riley would have his own life—he alreadydid, frankly—and Aidan would be alone.
He looked over Lyla’s head and met Levi’s gaze.
Realized, with a hard, joyful jolt that he wouldn’t be anymore. Maybe, if he played his cards right and didn’t fuck up by pushing Levi away, he’d haveLeviand whatever life they could build.Together.
“I better see you doing it every week, then,” Aidan said, grinning.
Riley stuck his tongue out at him. “What’s up?”
Aidan looked over at Riley. “You know.”
Riley grinned. “Oh boy, fireworks time. Hey, Landry,” he called out. “Get your fine ass over here.”
Landry came, Levi, Lyla, and Paige trailing after him.
“What is it, baby?” Landry asked.
“Aidan and Levi have something to tell us.”
Aidan met Levi’s eyes. He looked happy. Thrilled, in fact. Warmth practically spilling out of his brown eyes.
“Well, don’t make me do it alone,” he told him.
Levi only smiled harder. “Like I was ever going to leave you on an island, bro.”
Aidan barely had a moment to brace himself before Levi was pushing in his space, cupping his cheeks with hot palms and pulling him into a not entirely PG-rated kiss.
He couldn’t help it; he stiffened a little. Levi’s parents and his brother and sister wererightthere. But then he couldn’t help it. Levi kissing him made it so easy to kiss him back.
His hand went up to Levi’s shoulder, tugging him in closer. It was amazing how the rest of the world faded around him when they got their hands on each other. Like nobody else even mattered.
They kissed for probably a fraction longer of time than anyone needed to get the picture, but Aidan decided he didn’t care.
How many times had Riley and Landry fucked around in the kitchen of his Michigan house? He didn’t want to know, but the number wasnotzero. They could take a little PDA.
Aidan broke the kiss and the rest of the world came back into sharp focus.
The first thing he saw was Landry’s face. His jaw was dropped and he looked like someone had just socked him right in the face.
Not angry, necessarily, but stunned.
“Guess youdidn’ttell him, Ri,” Aidan said.
Riley smacked him on the back. “Ass,” he said fondly. “Of course I didn’t. I wanted to see this, front and center. And honestly? Zero notes. Fantastic execution. Wouldn’t change a goddamn thing.”
“Riley,” Landry said dazedly, “did you just see that? Or did I just hallucinate it?”
“Nope, it’s happening, baby. Our brothers are following in our footsteps. Enthusiastically, I might add.”
Aidan looked over at Lyla. He knew her the least. If he hadn’t known how Landry would react, he really wasn’t sure about her. She just raised a questioning blond eyebrow. “How long has this been going on?” she wanted to know.
“Awhile,” Levi said vaguely.
Aidan realized that they hadn’t talked about what they’d say their origin story was, but probably being ambiguous was better than the details. If he never needed to explain to another person that he and Levi had made a sex pact because he’d been in love with someone else, he’d be totally fine with that.
Especially if the someone else consisted of anyone from Levi’s family.
“It sort of started this summer,” Aidan added.
